The major candidates for mayor made their closing arguments Friday night in the final debate before Tuesday’s special election, returning to familiar themes they’ve espoused on public safety, neighborhoods and city finances.

In only a few instances were there sharply worded exchanges, most notably when City Councilman Kevin Faulconer and Qaulcomm executive and former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher traded criticisms on transparency.

Sponsored by and broadcast on NBC San Diego, the debate departed from a traditional format and instead posed questions tailored to each of the candidates.

In light of the sexual harassment scandal that forced former Mayor Bob Filner to resign, Faulconer was asked whether there was anything in his past that would cause him embarrassment.

He said he’s made transparency a cornerstone of his campaign and then criticized Fletcher for failing to respond to requests to release his college transcripts and his calendar while a member of the Assembly.

“We’ve all released our college transcripts and calendars, and Mr. Fletcher has not,” he said.

Mail-in
66% (823)

At the polls
32% (400)

At the Registrar's Office
1% (17)

1240 total votes.

Fletcher, a former Republican turned Democrat, in turn, accused Faulconer of not being transparent because he refused to confirm media reports that he would not commit to run for mayor until a group of influential Republicans agreed to “anoint” him as the lone Republican in the race.

“That’s incredibly more relevant than school report cards,” Fletcher said.

Councilman David Alvarez, also a Democrat and the youngest of the four major mayoral candidates, was asked whether he has the experience and acumen to be the next mayor.

Alvarez, 33, said he’s always had the courage to speak his mind while on the council when he feels it is heading in the wrong direction.

He added, “We work together all the time. Anyone who’s ever had business before the city, I meet with everybody, I work with everybody and that’s my style… I absolutely have the ability to run our city.”

Former City Attorney Mike Aguirre continued his relentless focus on the city’s huge pension deficit.

“We all want to put the pension behind us but it’s worse today than it’s ever been,” he said.

Faulconer, who has strong support from the city’s business community, talked about how city regulations need to be clear and less burdensome.

“With Filner, there were no rules,” he said. “San Diegans need to know when you put an addition on to your house, it shouldn’t take a year to go through the development services department.”

Fletcher, who has the backing of the city’s police officers union, reiterated his commitment to making public safety a priority, even as the city faces a looming budget deficit next year.

“The city has found hundreds of millions of dollars for all kinds of projects but not he money for adequate fire protection and putting more police officers on the street,” he said. “I think we have to refocus on this.”

Alvarez, who led the effort to get a new community plan approved for Barrio Logan, said he remains committed to fighting for it despite a referendum effort by shipbuilders and others to overturn it.